Rep. Michele Bachmann To Attend Thatcher’s Funeral

Born: Friday, October 13, 1925
Margaret Thatcher remains the only woman to date to hold the title of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

(credit: GABRIEL DUVAL/AFP/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (AP/WCCO) — Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann was chosen Monday to be part of the congressional delegation headed to London for the funeral of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Bachmann is one of three House members in the official delegation, along with Republican Reps. Marsha Blackburn and George Holding of North Carolina.

House speaker John Boehner called Thatcher one of the greatest champions of freedom that the world has ever known. The funeral for Thatcher, who died last week, will take place Wednesday at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Bachmann issued a statement, saying: “I am humbled and honored to be one of three members of the U.S. House of Representatives to be selected by Speaker John Boehner to attend Baroness Margaret Thatcher’s funeral.”

Bachmann has long spoken highly of Thatcher as a conservative icon regarded as Britain’s Iron Lady. During Bachmann’s failed presidential run, she molded herself as “America’s Iron Lady” in the vein of Thatcher.

“Not only was Margaret Thatcher a role model for conservative women across the globe, but she was also one of the most consequential political leaders of our time,” Bachmann’s statement continued. “She was a life-long champion of free markets, freedom and individual liberty and had the courage to fight for her convictions even in the face of undeserved ridicule.”

The House delegation will fly commercial to London. In February, Boehner suspended the use of military aircraft for official trips by House members, part of the belt-tightening by Congress in response to automatic, across-the-board spending cuts that kicked in March 1.